Pages

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Nonprofit organizations are an essential component of the Oregon economy. They provide medical services, support religious organizations, entertain, and educate.

In 2008, about one-eighth of the nearly 1.3 million private-sector jobs in Oregon were in nonprofit organizations. These 7,844 organizations employed roughly 160,000 people.

Those jobs were in nearly every industry and, contrary to popular belief, the salaries in some industries are quite competitive. Health care and social assistance makes up 62 percent of nonprofit jobs but only about 7 percent of total employment. There were seven industries and 15 counties in Oregon where nonprofit average annual wages exceed those in for-profit businesses.

The annual average wage for non-profits was $38,000, which is 95 percent of the average wage for all private-sector industries. The highest average wage in non-profits was in finance and insurance ($64,600), while the lowest average wage was in accommodation and food services ($14,800).

Read the full article, written by Central Oregon Economist Carolyn Eagan, and learn more about the geographical distribution of nonprofit jobs and how the current recession is impacting the sector.

About our Blog!

Welcome to the Oregon Employment blog, brought to you by the Research Division of the Oregon Employment Department. We love studying the economy, helping the public, and using numbers all day long! Feel free to ask questions and leave comments because we're here to help!